Theme: Snail mail.
Crossword constructor Janice Luttrell regularly brightens up our Monday mornings. In today's puzzle, Janice has four symmetrically placed theme entries (the last of which is the reveal) with subtly disguised references to items one sends in the mail.
The theme entries are:
20-Across. Metaphor for a plan that may collapse at any moment: HOUSE OF CARDS.
27-Across. Empire State NFL team: BUFFALO BILLS.
44-Across. Features of easy-to-read signs: BLOCK LETTERS.
52-Across. Stack heading to the post office, or what 20-, 27-, and 44-Across all have?: OUTGOING MAIL.
Oh, how we oldsters used to enjoy receiving CARDS and LETTERS in the MAIL! No one enjoyed receiving BILLS, but it beat getting notices of payment due via email, and navigating endless payment portals. We even sent snail mail to our nearest and dearest to share thoughts and feelings, and to brighten their days. Well, it's time to pick up the pace. Not everyone here is as ancient as yours truly.
Across:1. Sweeties: DEARS.
6. "Gimme a break!": C'MON.
10. Like Supreme Court arguments: ORAL.
14. Sight-related: OPTIC.
15. Tick off: RILE.
16. Item in a hotel closet: ROBE. Might have been a SAFE, but it wasn't.
17. One thumbing for a ride: HITCHHIKER. Prior to our marriage in the mid 1970s, my ex was a hitchhiker. During our marriage, he picked up hitchhikers. It was part of his hippie ethos. We were a mismatch, but remained HITCHed for 23 years.
 |
| Ex was taller, but otherwise, this coulda been him. I don't know who *she* is! |
19. Mother Earth, in Greek myth: GAIA. In Greek mythology, Gaia (or Gaea) is the personification of Earth. She is the mother of Uranus (Sky), as well as of Pontus (Sea).
 |
| Uranus and Gaia |
20. [Theme entry]
22. From __ Z: A TO.
25. Inc. kin: LLC.
26. Phase one: ONSET.
27. [Theme entry]
32. Chapel centerpiece: ALTAR.
33. Dishwasher capacity: LOAD.
34. Pop-ups in a free game: ADS. Online games, and phone apps, show you ads unless you pay for a subscription.
37. Snow toy with runners: SLED.
38. Shapewear company founded in 2000: SPANX.
40. "In __ of gifts ... ": LIEU.
41. Cornish game __: HEN.
42. "__ go bragh!": ERIN. Erin go Bragh is the English spelling of an Irish language phrase, Éirinn go Brách, and is used to express allegiance to Ireland. It is most often translated as "Ireland Forever."
43. Agreed (with): SIDED.
44. [Theme entry]
47. Insurance filing: CLAIM.
50. "There you __!": ARE.
51. Susan of "L.A. Law": DEY. Susan Dey is a retired actress, known for her roles as Laurie Partridge on The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974, and as Grace Van Owen on L.A. Law from 1986 to 1992. She won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series for L.A. Law in 1988.
 |
| Susan Dey |
52. [Theme entry]
57. Edinburgh resident: SCOT.
58. Rats out one's co-conspirators, say: NAMES NAMES.
62. Former Yankee slugger Martinez: TINO. Constantino "Tino" Martinez is a former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1990 through 2005.
57. Edinburgh resident: SCOT.
58. Rats out one's co-conspirators, say: NAMES NAMES.
62. Former Yankee slugger Martinez: TINO. Constantino "Tino" Martinez is a former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1990 through 2005.
 |
| "Tino" Martinez, 1998 |
63. Health resorts: SPAS.
64. The Met Gala, e.g.: EVENT.
65. Spread slowly: SEEP.
66. Org. with a white rabbit in its logo: PETA. PETA is People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Their attention grabbing tactics have gone a long way toward popularizing concern for the treatment of animal companions, and of animals used for food and for scientific research.
67. Patinkin of "Homeland": MANDY. Mandy Patinkin has enjoyed a long career in musical theater, television, and film. He played Che in the first Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita (1979), earning a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He won the Emmy for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series for Chicago Hope in 1995. And among his many film roles, he played Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride (1987).
 |
| Mandy Patinkin in The Princess Bride. |
Down:
1. Play-__: Hasbro toy clay: DOH.
2. Allergist's lead-in to Pen: EPI. EpiPen is a brand name for an auto-injector device containing epinephrine (adrenaline) used for emergency treatment of life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). It works by quickly opening airways, raising blood pressure, and reducing swelling.
3. QB passing stat: ATT. In football statistics, ATT stands for "Attempts," referring to the number of passes a quarterback (QB) throws, or the number of carries a running back makes.
4. Like a billionaire: RICH.
5. Intellectual: SCHOLAR. According to Wikipedia, an intellectual is a person who engages in critical thinking, research, and reflection about the nature of reality, especially the nature of society, and proposed solutions for its problems. Coming from the world of culture, the intellectual participates in politics and defends a system of values. So ... SCHOLAR is a little narrow as a definition, but I think Wikipedia's definition is a little broad. Do all intellectuals propound their viewpoints publicly?
6. Butter substitute, in some recipes: CRISCO.
7. Angels outfielder Trout: MIKE. Mike Trout is a professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. He is an 11-time All-Star, three-time American League MVP, and 9-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award. He captained the United States national team during the 2023 World Baseball Classic and was named to the All-WBC Team. He is regarded by many as the best baseball player of his generation and one of the greatest players in baseball history.
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| Mike Trout |
8. Butter substitute: OLEO.
9. Backyard water fight brand: NERF.
10. Instruments with many pipes: ORGANS.
11. Laughs noisily: ROARS.
12. Endure: ABIDE.
13. "That's the __ of my worries": LEAST.
18. Ship's framework: HULL.
21. Frosty: COLD.
22. Embarrass: ABASH.
23. Bridal veil netting: TULLE. Tulle is a sheer netting fabric with a hexagonal mesh pattern.
 |
| Tulle |
24. Frequently: OFTEN.
28. Passing trend: FAD.
29. Like a brand-new canvas: BLANK.
30. Lithium-__ battery: ION.
31. Hardly strict: LAX.
34. Supported: AIDED.
35. Name on much farm equipment: DEERE.
36. Foamy, as soap: SUDSY.
38. B'way sign: SRO. Broadway sign: Standing Room Only.
39. Insta post: PIC. On the social media app INSTAgram, most posts are PICtures or reels (short videos) with commentary.
40. Held a match to: LIT.
42. Ticklish Muppet: ELMO.
43. Women's Media Center co-founder Gloria: STEINEM. Gloria Steinem is an American journalist and activist who emerged as a feminist leader in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Steinem was a columnist for New York magazine and a co-founder of Ms. magazine. She co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus, the Women's Action Alliance, and the Women's Media Center.
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| Gloria Steinem and Dorothy Pitman Hughes, co-founders of Ms. magazine, 1971 |
44. Three-ring circus setting: BIG TOP.
45. San Diego suburb whose name means "the table": LA MESA.
46. Historic stretches: ERAS.
47. Expenditures: COSTS.
48. Port St. __, Florida: LUCIE. This reviewer was ignorant of the existence of Port St. Lucie (the sixth most populous city in Florida), and it crossed in the grid with TINO Martinez, who was unknown to me, so I had make a bit of a WAG (wild ass guess) there, but it wasn't difficult.
45. San Diego suburb whose name means "the table": LA MESA.
46. Historic stretches: ERAS.
47. Expenditures: COSTS.
48. Port St. __, Florida: LUCIE. This reviewer was ignorant of the existence of Port St. Lucie (the sixth most populous city in Florida), and it crossed in the grid with TINO Martinez, who was unknown to me, so I had make a bit of a WAG (wild ass guess) there, but it wasn't difficult.
 |
| The dart marks Port St. Lucie on the map |
49. Make amends: ATONE.
53. Clouseau or Gadget's rank, briefly: INSP. Inspector.
54. Sensitive neck part: NAPE.
55. MBA hopeful's exam: GMAT. Graduate Management Admission Test.
56. Volcanic flow: LAVA.
59. Guys: MEN.
60. Conclusion: END.
61. Hog farm pen: STY.
Here's the grid:
Dear Solvers, 
Did this puzzle RILE you up, taunting you with BLANK spaces?
Or were you AIDED by perpendicular entries?
Can you CLAIM to have FIR (finished it right)?
Let us know in the comments!
Fondly,
NaomiZ
20 comments:
Finally, a Monday
puzzle easy enough to be truly
Monday-worthy!
So FIR, of course!
Good morning!
Was looking for an IRON in my hotel closet. Oops. Otherwise, this was a smooth SLED ride to the bottom. Janice is a puzzle pro, and it shows. Thanx for 'splainin' it all, NaomiZ.
EPI: I replaced my ancient EPI-PEN with a "Neffy" -- nasal spray version of Epinephrine.
Port St. LUCIE: Remaining brother lives in nearby Stuart. Gimme.
MIKE Trout: When I first moved to Houston, I made a service-related call with a salesman for the local crane dealership. He asked if I was a football fan. I told him I didn't really follow sports, and asked if there was a local team. He was a retired Houston Oiler, and he was not impressed.
FIR without erasure.
MANDY is kinda the male version of Meryl Streep IMO. Fabulous actor who can do just about any role.
These days my MAIL consists almost entirely of ADS, which are also Easter eggs for today's theme.
Foreigner sang COLD as ice. And the Eagles sang about a different gold-digging woman in their Lyin' Eyes. It breaks her heart to think her love is only Given to a man with hands as COLD as ice.
Thanks to Janice for the fun start to a soggy Monday holiday. And thanks to NaomiZ for another fun review.
Quick Monday solve, but even though I FIR came here for explanation of the theme - I was trying to get NAME NAMES into the theme as well
MANDY Patinkin is a favorite actor- most memorably for me in "Yentl" and "The Princess Bride"
Thanks Naomi and Janice for an fun day Monday
FIR. Nice and easy Monday presentation, suitable to the day of the week. After the few past weeks, this was most welcome.
For me the reveal was needed to get the theme, but it was very clever.
Overall a most enjoyable puzzle.
The only thing slowing me down solving this fine puzzle was looking at the wrong answer to be part of the theme. What a HIKER in the mail! Then saw the HOUSE OF CARDS. Otherwise, a walk in the park.
Many years ago a colleague moved to Port St.LUCIE, so I knew the name, also LUCIE was my aunt’s name and now her grand daughter’s.
Thank you NaomiZ for your fine review.
All good, if it would just stop raining.
Took 3:59 today to, well, mail this one in.
I knew the Actress of the Dey, and the actor (Mandy), thanks solely to The Princess Bride.
I've heard of St. Lucie, but I often hear people talk about a small city/place in Florida as if everyone is assumed to have a high familiarity with all places in Florida and the distances between them.
Happy Memorial Day, everyone.
Good Morning:
I agree wholeheartedly with DO’s praise of Janice talents. This offering was a perfect example of a true pro: Simple, yet not so obvious theme, well executed and well-hidden; no dreck or obscurities; minimal pop culture; perfect difficult-level cluing and fill; smooth and clean grid and most of all, an enjoyable and rewarding solve.
Thanks, Janice, for brightening another rainy, gloomy day and thanks, Naomi, for adding to the brightness with your review and commentary. I learn something from your expo every week and enjoy the highlighting of certain favorites, such as Mandy Patinkin.
Have a great day.
Musings
-My friend and former student, Senator Ben Sasse, said D.C. is very much like the series House Of Cards
-When I was in college, I not only loved getting snail mail from my now DW but she also scented the envelope with her perfume.
-The worst mail today is from potential scammers “phishing” for cash on official looking stationery
-Too many friends suspect their parents or partners have early ONSET dementia
-When hailstorms hit our neighborhood, the different insurance companies can treat CLAIMS very differently
-My former golf partner spends his winters in Edinburg, Texas
-One of my favorite movie scenes is where Charlie refuses to “NAME NAMES” in Scent Of A Woman which gives rise to Al Pacino’s wonderful soliloquy (shortened version - 1:45) where he NAMES NAMES at the end of the clip.
-TROUT is a top drawer talent but has never gotten to a World Series or even won a playoff game
-TULLE vs toile is a coin toss for me. You too, Naomi?
-My friend is a John DEERE collector and has 12 of them which are all DEERE green
-The Mets have spring training in Port St. LUCIE
-Did Clouseau ever get his massage/message? :-)
Some crunch for a Monday. Obvious theme. I expected HITCHHIKER was part of it but not.
Inkovers: Gaea/GAIA, Steinam/STEINEM
GMAT: a new one on me.
C’MON? C’mon!!
A “trout” in the outfield? A pike? 🐟 No a MIKE
CRISCO: mom used a similar product called “Spry” ( probably cheaper )
There’s been an ____ in the COST of eyeglasses …. OPTIC
With a ____ ,_____ shouldn’t “go Bragh-less” BIGTOP, ERIN
“Bison Williams” the official moniker of the _______ …. BUFFALO BILLS (FYI: the name of the city has nothing to do with the animal. Main theory ; It’s a corruption of the French “Beau Fleuve”, Beautiful River )
We “oldsters” agree this has been the worst Memorial Day weekend in memory in upstate NY, steady rain with temps in the 50’s
Among other rural facilities we supplied imaging services to Waterloo Hospital in Waterloo NY birthplace of Memorial Day
My older aunts and uncles called it “Decoration Day”’ brought, and now cousins still plant red geraniums at graves of relatives
🇺🇸
The post office is going to hate me for this, but 7 fun things you can post by mail... you may have to scroll down and fight your way thru some ads...
Hmm, that reminds me! A way to save the bankrupt post office!
Let them put Ads on your mail! (You dont have to read them, and if it makes postage cheaper, and the p.o. Solvent, might as well, they are everywhere else...)
I saw the OUTGOING part of the revealer to mean all the items of MAIL were on the OUTGOING (right hand) side of each themer.
I kinda skipped over the names as they filled in by perps, but really, the only name you need on Mondays is Naomi - and you're in good hands.
Delightful Monday puzzle, what a gift--many thanks, Janice. And Naomi, your commentaries and pictures are always a real pleasure, so thanks for those too.
Well, it looks as though this puzzle begins with someone wanting to RILE those DEARS with an ORAL request: asking them to don a ROBE and play a HOUSE OF CARDS game with that HITCHHIKER who had just showed up. It turned out the fellow was a SCHOLAR who had once played baseball with the BUFFALO BILLS, which had made him RICH. But, sadly, he was now poor and needed to be AIDED so he could afford the COSTS of buying some TULLE (bridal veil netting) for his upcoming wedding with LUCIE, his new bride. As OFTEN happens, it turned out they were already expecting and had already NAMED NAMES for those two infants on their way. But first they needed to go to the ALTAR to get married--an EVENT that thrilled them and their guests, for being on their way to becoming a wonderful family!
Have a lovely week coming up, everybody.
Thanks -- that elevates the theme for me!
Hola! Again, my newspaper wasn't delivered! It's as if the delivery person took a holiday weekend off! Luckily I can print it from any source.
The puzzle was Monday-easy; thank you Janice Luttrell and Patti Varol.
St. Lucy, or LUCIE, a martyr from the third or fourth century, has been honored throughout the centuries and in many countries as well as in a variety of spellings.
I tried on SPANX at a store and found them much too constricting.
CSO to RICH Norris, our former editor.
I have several nephews and cousins named Michael but called MIKE.
I love to send cards and sometimes LETTERS to all my friends. I send them for almost any occasion and I even enjoy going to the post office to buy stamps. It's always surprising to see the long lines of people there, mostly to mail packages.
Have a wonderful day, everyone!
Wow, Misty! That is a really good story today!
RustyBrain at 12:11 PM -- you have OUTdone me in analyzing the OUTGOING MAIL!
I liked this puzzle and echo what Irish Miss said.
CRISCO, ew!
One of my caregivers is called MIKE even though his name is Richard.
Good reading all your comments.
Hello, Lucina, many thanks for your kind comment. Your posting had a lot of interesting information too, but my favorite one was your describing your experience trying on that constricting SPANX (whatever that it?). Also liked your description of going to the Post Office--something I bet I haven't done in half a century--(hey, I'm 81). Anyway, nice to have a chance to share this column with you, and thanks again for your fun comments.
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